Isère - A four season destination
The Oisans, Chartreuse, Belledonne and Vercors mountains are a real paradise for winter sports or family fun in the snow. Leading the way are the International resorts, L'Alpe d'Huez and Les Deux Alpes, both well-known to skiers and snowboarders. But what is perhaps not such common knowledge, is that Isère is a great place to come in any season...
Copyright RA Tourisme / M. Rougy
The department has a rather unusual geographic profile with half of its surface being low-lying, rather than mountainous! This territory ranges from highest summits of the Ecrins and Oisans mountains to Roman Vienne, on the banks of the Rhône with its scent of the south and its leading international jazz festival in July. Grenoble, "Capital of the French Alps", a young, dynamic city, is an ideal starting point for visiting the different facets of Isère. All around, the splendour of the mountains, protected by the charters of three national parks, Vercors and Chartreuse regional parks and Ecrins national park providing with boundless sports and leisure ground in an unspoilt natural setting.
Off to the Slopes!
L'Alpe d'Huez: the Sarenne glacier slope...the longest slope in the world! The Sarenne slope the longest in the world measuring 16km, is the champion of all major slopes! Linking the Pic Blanc (3300m) to the Sarenne gorges (1300m), an altitude loss of more than 2000m, providing almost one and a half hours' non-stop skiing, without taking a ski lift!
Between the Grandes Rousses ski area, combining the resorts of L'Alpe d'Huez, Vaujany, Oz en Oisans, Auris en Oisans and Villard Reculas, and the Deux Alpes ski area linked to la Grave, you can now ski on more than 468km of slopes and enjoy exceptional panoramic views of Pic Blanc, Pic Bayle, la Meije and the Barre des Ecrins.
Across all the alpine stages from the village of la Grave, the Glaciers de la Meije cable cars provide a 2-stage journey from 1450m to 3200m in just 30 minutes to the top of Oisans. Discover one of the most beautiful downhill ski routes in Europe in this spectacular setting: Les Vallons de la Meije...a non-stop descent with an altitude drop of 2150m! This high mountain area offers a powder snow route, with its extraordinary snow from the end of January to mid May. For good skiers.
Les Deux Alpes: les Gours, an easy slope with sensation guaranteed! At an altitude of 2600m, the blue Gours slope offers a splendid panoramic view, with no visible ski lifts. Here, you can ski in a truly natural setting, a real little taste of paradise. The wide slopes help you feel safe.
'The Jury's special prize' and the winner is ...the Deux Alpes snowpark, considered to be one of the most exciting in Europe! Half pipe, axe pipe, big air, slope style, handrails...35 modules for some sensational fun! While you're practising, you may well come across Gary Zebrowsky or Arthur Longo, champions and resort representatives in snow spots around the world...
Le Sappey en Chartreuse : special family skiing on the beginners' slopes. In 1906, Le Sappey en Chartreuse was the birthplace of downhill skiing in France. The village has kept its warm, welcoming atmosphere; friends and family on the floodlit cross-country track in the centre of the village in the evening...
Just Feeling Good
Uriage les Bains,15 min from Grenoble, is on the first hills of the Belledonne mountains. It is a traditional place for spa treatments in Isère as well as a temple to local gastronomy...
Allevard-les-Bains in the Grésivaudan vallley, half way between Grenoble and Chambéry, at the foot of the peaks of Belledonne. Allevard's spa water, with the highest sulphur content in the world, is taken from a depth of 149m.
'Bon appétit'
Isère has a long tradition of good eating based on local produces and hearty recipes handed dwon through the generations. Here are some specialities:
'Gratin Dauphinois' the region's most famous dish! a crispy topped potato dish. 'The raviole de Royans' is a small square of thin pasta dough stuffed with tomme and comté cheeses, egg, parsley and butter. Cheese: Saint Marcellin and Bleu du Vercors-Sassenage. Green and Yellow Chartreuse liqueur for four one hundred years, only three of the Chartreuse monks living in the Grande Chartreuse monastery know the names of the 130 plants that go into this liqueur how to blend and distil them.
Anyone for golf?
Isère offers a great test of golf in stunning surroundings : in a wonderful Lakeland setting or in one of the most beautiful mountain courses in Europe, spreads its fairways at a height of 1100 metres in the heart of the Vercors regional park.
Summer in the mountains: gain without pain!
Isère has no fewer than one national park, 2 regional natural parks, 11 nature reserves and more than 4 400 hectares of sensitive natural areas! Enjoy this unspoilt nature and draw energy from the incredible, accessible and protected panoramic views. The mountains are not just for experts!
The first high mountain park in Europe is one of the top spots for mountain sports in France. Nature lovers will be delighted by the diversity of its Alpine animals and high altitude plant life.
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| 29/09/2011 Freedom of the city of London for ABTOF Member |
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| 07/12/2011 Winning article - Online |
The winning article from the online category of the French Travel Article of the Year awards, written by Sharron Livingston
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| 07/12/2011 Winning article - Magazines |
Winner of the magazine category of the French Travel Article of the Year awards, written by Eve Kerswill
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| 24/08/2011 Le Weekend 20 & 21 August 2011 |
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| 02/11/2010 Collection of Snippets from ABTOF members 1st Nov |
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